/Lieutenant governor candidates tout same issues, but critical of each other at Neshoba

Lieutenant governor candidates tout same issues, but critical of each other at Neshoba

Both candidates spoke out for improving teacher pay, increasing infrastructure funding and improving health care. Both candidates were accompanied by large numbers of enthusiastic supporters. Hosemann, however, had a significantly larger crowd. In recent years, the fair’s annual political speech, which concludes Thursday, has been a refuge for Republican politicians. When Hughes stated that his opponent was a “good man”, the Hosemann crowd cheered. However, they have had different experiences. He was born with a silver spoon. “I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth,” the Hosemann crowd cheered. Hosemann said that he is a conservative Republican. Hosemann also mentioned how he returned to Mississippi with a rented car, little belongings, and no job after attending Notre Dame. According to Hosemann, his wife Lynn found work on the third floor as the secretary to the Senate pro-tem. Hosemann said it was a small world and predicted that he would return to the Capitol’s third floor in January to be the lieutenant governor. The annual political speeches at the fair could be seen as the launch for the race to become lieutenant governor. Although many candidates will face party primaries on Tuesday, Hughes is the only candidate in the Democratic primary. Hosemann faces token opposition from Shane Quick from DeSoto County on the Republican side. Hughes, a freshman state representative from Oxford, stated that he joined the military in 1980s, when Hosemann was qualifying for Congress. Hosemann, who was a three-term secretary to state and grew up in Vicksburg countered that he doesn’t talk about getting things done. He does things.” Hosemann, a three-term secretary of state who grew up in Vicksburg, said that he didn’t understand how Hughes could serve four years as the Legislature’s secretary and have such little influence. Hughes stated that transparency had left the Capitol but Hughes took common sense with it. Hughes stated that he would work with Republicans, Democrats, and whoever is elected governor in November. He said that he would be focusing on the respecting and payment of teachers. Hosemann referred Hughes as a liberal Democrat but the two candidates shared some of the same goals such as expanding preK education. Hosemann stated that it was time for reforming the health care system, as other states have done. Hosemann did not give any details about his plans for healthcare reform. As allowed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), more than 35 states have expanded Medicaid to offer health care coverage to the working poor. Quick spoke before Hosemann and Hughes. He said that he didn’t have the campaign signs of the other candidates because he didn’t have the “special interest money”. He said that he would offer “blue collar solutions to the problems facing the state.” He said, “I am not a corporate salesman.”